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116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was formerly known as the 1st Brigade
, 29th Infantry Division. It is currently assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard
. The Brigade is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia
, at the Thomas Howie Memorial Armory.
. They were called into Federal Service during both World Wars, and for service in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars. The regiment traces its lineage back to the famed Confederate States of America
Stonewall Brigade
of the Army of Northern Virginia
.
The regiment in its previous form as a Virginia unit was redesignated on 9 March 1922 as the 116th Infantry and assigned to the 29th Division (later redesignated as the 29th Infantry Division). Its headquarters was federally recognized 3 April 1922 at Staunton. Later the Location of Headquarters was changed 26 June 1933 to Lynchburg.
During the Second World War, the 116th Infantry Regiment took part in the Invasion of Normandy. The regiment suffered 314 casualties, including soldiers from A Company, which lost 96% of their men within the first 10 minutes of landing on Omaha Beach
. During a move from Les Moulins, the 2nd Battalion broke loose from the beach and fought their way to a farmhouse to become the first command post in France.
On March 1, 2004, the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment was mobilized for deployment to Afghanistan
to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom. Members of the battalion reported to armories around Virginia and began arriving at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan on July 15, 2004. They were quickly engaged in operations. The battalion conducted combat operations in Ghazni
and SECFOR operations at Bagram Airfield
. Numerous slice elements were placed under the operational control of the battalion. The newly formed task force assumed the name of the beaches the regiment stormed more than 60 years prior – Normandy. During the deployment two 116th Infantry soldiers are killed by a roadside bomb, the first Virginia National Guard
soldiers to die in combat since World War II
. The battalion returned to the United States in July 2005.
In August 2006, the 1st Battalion mobilized in support of KFOR as part of the 29th Infantry Division to provide stability operations in the Serbian province of Kosovo
with NATO. They become known as Task Force Red Dragon for the duration of their deployment.
In 2007, the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th BCT of the Virginia Army National Guard replaced the 229th Engineer Battalion. The unit is headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia. "Troops Forward" is the unit's motto. The BSTB comprises an HHC with platoons of Infantry, Support (Medical, Food Service and Transportation), Chemical, Military Police, Supply, Mechanics, Cavalry, Logistics and Administration. There are 3 other Company's in the BSTB: an Engineering, Military Intelligence and Signal Company.
In May 2007, the Brigade Headquarters Company mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Headquarters Company was stationed on the International Zone
and did not suffer any casualties.
In June 2007, the 2d Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment; the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment; and Company F, 429th Brigade Support Battalion were deployed to Iraq and Kuwait
. Companies A, B, and C of the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment successfully conducted convoy security patrols throughout Iraq. HHC & Co D, 3–116th, 2–183rd CAV, and F/429th conducted security force missions in Kuwait and Southern Iraq for strategically vital assets; to include 2-183rd CAV Trops A and C, with HQ and Colorado Guard components completing several extended roadside and personal security, surveillance and mercy missions, and numerous combat patrols throughout Kuwait and Southern Iraq provinces and along oil pipelines outside Basrah. The Purple Heart
was awarded during the deployment for taking shrapnel from sniper fire, and the Iraq Campaign Medal
was issued for those members serving in the Iraq theater of operations.
In January 2010, the first battalion mobilized with the Louisiana National Guard
's 256th IBCT to Iraq and conducted convoy security missions in southern Iraq. Known at TF Overlord, a tribute the unit's D-Day heritage, the unit includes the Headquarters Company from Lynchburg, VA; Company A from Bedford, VA; Company B from Lexington, VA; Company C from Christiansburg, VA; and Company D from Pulaski, VA. The battalion was commanded by LTC E. Scott Smith of Lynchburg, VA. The unit returned with no losses in September 2010.
In May 2011, the Brigade Headquarters Company plus the UAV Platoon (B/116 BSTB) were mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Approximately 185 Soldiers were mobilized for this deployment. They are currently serving as the control element for Combined Team Zabul in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. They are commanded by COL Blake Ortner.
In June 2011, Task Force 183 (TF183) mobilized to support Operation New Dawn. This is the largest mobilization of the Virginia Army National Guard since WWII, comprising some 825 soldiers. TF183 comprises most of the 2d Squadron, 183d Cavalry Regiment plus elements of the 116th BSTB, 116th BSB, 1-116 Infantry and D Co 3-116 Infantry.
mounted on his horse, a reference to the 116th's lineage as the Stonewall Brigade
. The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 116th Infantry Brigade on 26 May 1978. The patch's nickname is "Stony on a Pony." When the 29th Infantry Division was reactivated in 1985, the brigade was assigned to the division and began wearing the division shoulder patch. Following the Army's reorganization of combat divisions in 2005 into brigade-centric units, ARNG brigades within divisions began wearing brigade patches as Department of the Army policy. Reportedly the 116th BCT has returned to wearing the division shoulder patch.
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, 29th Infantry Division. It is currently assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard
Virginia Army National Guard
The Virginia Army National Guard is composed of approximately 7500 soldiers, 1200 airmen, and maintains 67 armories in 50 communities.The Governor may call individuals or units of the Virginia National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend...
. The Brigade is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, at the Thomas Howie Memorial Armory.
History
The regiment was formed as part of the Virginia MilitiaVirginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
. They were called into Federal Service during both World Wars, and for service in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars. The regiment traces its lineage back to the famed Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Stonewall Brigade
Stonewall Brigade
The Stonewall Brigade of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, was a famous combat unit in United States military history. It was trained and first led by General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, a professor from Virginia Military Institute...
of the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
.
The regiment in its previous form as a Virginia unit was redesignated on 9 March 1922 as the 116th Infantry and assigned to the 29th Division (later redesignated as the 29th Infantry Division). Its headquarters was federally recognized 3 April 1922 at Staunton. Later the Location of Headquarters was changed 26 June 1933 to Lynchburg.
During the Second World War, the 116th Infantry Regiment took part in the Invasion of Normandy. The regiment suffered 314 casualties, including soldiers from A Company, which lost 96% of their men within the first 10 minutes of landing on Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
. During a move from Les Moulins, the 2nd Battalion broke loose from the beach and fought their way to a farmhouse to become the first command post in France.
On March 1, 2004, the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment was mobilized for deployment to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom. Members of the battalion reported to armories around Virginia and began arriving at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan on July 15, 2004. They were quickly engaged in operations. The battalion conducted combat operations in Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
and SECFOR operations at Bagram Airfield
Bagram Air Base
Bagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,...
. Numerous slice elements were placed under the operational control of the battalion. The newly formed task force assumed the name of the beaches the regiment stormed more than 60 years prior – Normandy. During the deployment two 116th Infantry soldiers are killed by a roadside bomb, the first Virginia National Guard
Virginia National Guard
The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by federal monies. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges...
soldiers to die in combat since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The battalion returned to the United States in July 2005.
In August 2006, the 1st Battalion mobilized in support of KFOR as part of the 29th Infantry Division to provide stability operations in the Serbian province of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
with NATO. They become known as Task Force Red Dragon for the duration of their deployment.
In 2007, the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th BCT of the Virginia Army National Guard replaced the 229th Engineer Battalion. The unit is headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia. "Troops Forward" is the unit's motto. The BSTB comprises an HHC with platoons of Infantry, Support (Medical, Food Service and Transportation), Chemical, Military Police, Supply, Mechanics, Cavalry, Logistics and Administration. There are 3 other Company's in the BSTB: an Engineering, Military Intelligence and Signal Company.
In May 2007, the Brigade Headquarters Company mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Headquarters Company was stationed on the International Zone
Green Zone
The Green Zone is the most common name for the International Zone of Baghdad. It is a area of central Baghdad, Iraq, that was the governmental center of the Coalition Provisional Authority and remains the center of the international presence in the city...
and did not suffer any casualties.
In June 2007, the 2d Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment; the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment; and Company F, 429th Brigade Support Battalion were deployed to Iraq and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Companies A, B, and C of the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment successfully conducted convoy security patrols throughout Iraq. HHC & Co D, 3–116th, 2–183rd CAV, and F/429th conducted security force missions in Kuwait and Southern Iraq for strategically vital assets; to include 2-183rd CAV Trops A and C, with HQ and Colorado Guard components completing several extended roadside and personal security, surveillance and mercy missions, and numerous combat patrols throughout Kuwait and Southern Iraq provinces and along oil pipelines outside Basrah. The Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
was awarded during the deployment for taking shrapnel from sniper fire, and the Iraq Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
The Iraq Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
was issued for those members serving in the Iraq theater of operations.
In January 2010, the first battalion mobilized with the Louisiana National Guard
Louisiana National Guard
The Louisiana National Guard consists of the:*Louisiana Army National Guard** includes the U.S. 256th Infantry Brigade*Louisiana Air National Guard-External links:*** compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
's 256th IBCT to Iraq and conducted convoy security missions in southern Iraq. Known at TF Overlord, a tribute the unit's D-Day heritage, the unit includes the Headquarters Company from Lynchburg, VA; Company A from Bedford, VA; Company B from Lexington, VA; Company C from Christiansburg, VA; and Company D from Pulaski, VA. The battalion was commanded by LTC E. Scott Smith of Lynchburg, VA. The unit returned with no losses in September 2010.
In May 2011, the Brigade Headquarters Company plus the UAV Platoon (B/116 BSTB) were mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Approximately 185 Soldiers were mobilized for this deployment. They are currently serving as the control element for Combined Team Zabul in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. They are commanded by COL Blake Ortner.
In June 2011, Task Force 183 (TF183) mobilized to support Operation New Dawn. This is the largest mobilization of the Virginia Army National Guard since WWII, comprising some 825 soldiers. TF183 comprises most of the 2d Squadron, 183d Cavalry Regiment plus elements of the 116th BSTB, 116th BSB, 1-116 Infantry and D Co 3-116 Infantry.
Current Units
116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team consists of the following elements:- 1st BattalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 116th Infantry Regiment - 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Squadron (RSTA), 183rd Cavalry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment
- 429th Brigade Support BattalionForward Support BattalionA forward support battalion was an Army of Excellence combat service support unit designed to support a Brigade. In divisions, it was part of the Division Support Command .It was composed of:...
- 116 Brigade Special Troops BattalionSpecial Troops BattalionA Special Troops Battalion is an organic unit of a modular brigade, Division , corps or higher echelon United States Army organization...
Insignia
The brigade had its own shoulder patch which was most recently worn in 2006–2008. The shoulder sleeve insignia depicted Thomas "Stonewall" JacksonStonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
mounted on his horse, a reference to the 116th's lineage as the Stonewall Brigade
Stonewall Brigade
The Stonewall Brigade of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, was a famous combat unit in United States military history. It was trained and first led by General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, a professor from Virginia Military Institute...
. The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 116th Infantry Brigade on 26 May 1978. The patch's nickname is "Stony on a Pony." When the 29th Infantry Division was reactivated in 1985, the brigade was assigned to the division and began wearing the division shoulder patch. Following the Army's reorganization of combat divisions in 2005 into brigade-centric units, ARNG brigades within divisions began wearing brigade patches as Department of the Army policy. Reportedly the 116th BCT has returned to wearing the division shoulder patch.